


Supernatural

by skvllbvnny



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Coffee Shops, F/M, Ghost Hunter AU, Ghosts, Humanstuck, Mild Blood, Old Writing Redone, Oneshot, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 00:33:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11703072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skvllbvnny/pseuds/skvllbvnny
Summary: Aradia, five-year professional ghost hunter, has been assigned to mentor a new rich boy type kid with dreams of making it in the business. They say that feelings shouldn't get in the way of work, and she typically agrees with that, but this time it was completely different. If only he can make it past his training.





	Supernatural

Becoming a ghost hunter was probably one of the best career moves you’ve ever made. You were doing what you have always loved and you were getting paid for it, too. Nothing could make you ever hate this job. The only rough thing was having to train the newbies one on one on a real mission, but that only happened during the springtime when the weather warmed up and the ghosts were as active as ever. Usually, the interns slow you down and are just a nuisance. But you always enjoyed seeing them succeed in such a hard field. Today was the day in which you were assigned to train someone. You’ve done this countless times before and you’ve seen people make it big and get accepted into the agency. Some don't make it, but some actually get to become ghost hunters and that is what motivated you. But, of course, there were some qualifications to making it big in this industry. You had to have a fit body, good stamina, a quick wit, and obviously not be afraid of a few spirits. Training was a make or break point, and you had to be on your toes and ready to take action at all times.

Your name is Aradia Megido, and you are a professional ghost hunter. 

You've been in love with ghosts and even more in love with hunting them down ever since you could remember. You are now 24 years of age and you've been in the business since you were 19, back when you were so young and naive. Right next to your desk in your cozy office was a vast collection of bottled up spirits and your trusty ghost vacuum, an initiation present from the agency. It had your name engraved on it per your request; it was your most prized possession. Not a day has passed where it has let you down and disappointed you.

The dream you have had all your life has finally come true and the thrill of a new call never went away. You go out to collect the spirits with your hand picked team; one of the perks of being higher on the chain. All of them, skilled at their jobs, and some of the best of the best were on your team. To you, they are more than your team, they are your family. You had a feeling that the initiation into the ghost hunting career was going to be hard but you felt as though something different might happen. 

As you sat at that desk of yours, gazing at the array of spirits you’ve managed to collect over time, you heard the intercom call down the hunters. You knew exactly how to train a ghost hunter and when it was your time to shine, you knew how to bring out the best in your trainee. It was your job.

This was the easiest part of the initiation: seeing who you were paired up with. Usually, the trainers would take their trainees to their office, bond a bit, and when night falls, they head out to capture ghosts. If the trainers think their apprentices have potential, they will be invited to attend the ceremony, where they become official ghost hunters and receive their official badges. There's food, dancing, music, the whole deal. You still remember yours like it was yesterday. Your mother and father standing there proudly, your older sister Damara and her strange boyfriend clapping for you, and the moment when they gave you your official badge. Thinking about it always made your eyes tear up a bit with pride.

There stood 16 of you in a neat row, lined up and ready on the field outside to claim your trainee. Your best friend in the whole wide world, Tavros, gave you a thumbs up and a wink, reassuring you. He was a year older than you and has done this before multiple times, successfully bringing in several new members into the business. You smiled back and waved as the two of you faced forward. One of the other employees went around, holding a bucket containing names of the hopeful future hunters. You shut your eyes as you reached in the bucket. Finally, after pulling out a name, you read it carefully. Eridan Ampora. You read the name a few times to memorize it. Now you gotta look for the kid.

You walked around as the others mingled and met with their new temporary partner in crime. Tavros was shaking hands with a young blonde girl, taller than him and a bit more muscular. Her name tag read Vriska. Shockingly, you were able to read it from that far away You turned your head until you felt yourself bump into another person, sending both of you to the ground. You landed on the soft patch of grass and you let out an audible grunt. Across from you was a guy who looked clueless on the ground, rubbing his head and reaching for his glasses that were knocked off his head. Thankfully they weren't broken, that would have been really horrible. You stood up in a hurry to help the poor kid out.

“Hey, uh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going, I’m so incredibly sorry,” you repeatedly apologized, looking at him in the eyes. He growled a bit under his breath.

“It's fine...uh...I'm Eridan, and I'm lookin' for an Aradia. Any clue where she is?” He asked you with a bit of a stutter, not even thinking about reading your name tag. You guess he was just that nervous about meeting his mentor. You shook his sweaty hand and took him by surprise. His eyes widened at the touch of your hand.

“I'm Aradia Megido, 5-year professional ghost hunter. Nice to meet you, kid,” you replied, letting go of his hand. He slipped back on his glasses and brushed the strand of hair out of his eyes. He looked a bit strange, with dark brown hair and a purple streak in the front. He had bright green eyes that caught your attention for a moment. He would be a good fit around here for sure. The quirkier, the better.

“Nice to meet you too, Ara. Can I call you Ara, darlin’?” Eridan asked as he dusted himself off. You blushed a tad when he called you darling.

“Sure, I mean we are going to be friends. We are one big ghost hunting family here. If you make it, you’ll love it,” you chirped in a perky and unusual tone. Yes, you know that sounded cheesy as hell but saying it reminded you that you had wonderful friends here at the agency. Since he was new here, you thought it would be a good idea to show him around. Maybe show him the ropes and show him how it's done. If you have time, even meet some of the crew that he might work alongside one day if he was lucky.

You held the door for him as Eridan entered your office. The first thing that caught his attention instantly was the spirits in jars lined up against your wall. They made their usual moans and cries, sometimes saying whispered words like “help” or “death” or something along the lines of that. He was so fascinated by them and their cries for help. You remember how terrified it used to make you, hearing their empty threats. 

“Did you catch these by yourself?” he asked you, looking at the ghosts like a child looking at candy through the window of a candy store. You nodded, a confident smile appearing on your face. 

“So, Eridan, you like ghosts and stuff?” you asked in an attempt to try to break this ice between you two. He came off as the kind of kid who was socially awkward, so this might be more of a hassle than training him.

“Of course I love ghosts. They seem so fascinatin',” he said with a bit of an accent that you couldn’t pinpoint, “I mean, I grew up in an extremely rich society so stuff like a ghost was unheard of. But I kept readin' about them and I guess it seemed like somethin' I would like to see for myself,” he explained. To you, he seemed like the spoiled rich boy type. But you weren’t quick to judge anybody; after all, you were a ghost hunter.

“Have you ever had any experience in catching them?” You asked.

“No, but I've seen them wanderin' around in the cemeteries I passed while on my way to school years ago. They're mysterious as hell, am I right?” he replied as he continued to peer at the spirits. ‘

“Of course, I’ve worked with them since I was 19. Some of them get very dangerous, so you have to be prepared. I’ve seen hunters get tossed around, get their brains knocked out, and worse,” you warned, injecting fear in him. Sadly, you’ve seen hunters lose their life while dealing with the more brutal ghosts. You never feared death, though. That was one of your strong suits and a mentality that ghost hunters need to have if they’re going to deal with the supernatural.

“Really?” Eridan sounded more nervous now.

“Yeah. You just have to be careful and aware at all times,” you replied to him as his fear melted into a more relaxed complexion, “as long as you follow those rules, you’ll be nice and alive coming out from a mission. The pay here is wonderful and the townspeople will treat you like a superhero. That’s a perk that inspires me to keep waking up every morning and clocking in.” 

“That’s why I want this job. I want to protect the town.” 

“That’s sweet of you, dude. With that attitude, you’ll go far here.”

After a minute of casual chatting, you begin to pinpoint the little aspects about him: his little cheerful smiles at the funny comments you make, his eyes that peer around the room in awe even after being in there for a little while, the way he won’t look into your eyes when you jokingly inquire about his love life. You never really felt this excited to train somebody before. You saw so much potential in him, but it was too early to tell if he was meant for this job or if he was bullshitting his way into a decent paycheck. The only way to successfully tell if he’s a good pick for the job is if his performance in action is top notch. All you had to do was receive a call.

After another 5 minutes of awkward small talk, you had a good idea that will make everything less awkward.

“So, Ampora, how about we go out to eat for a bit? I can show you my favorite sandwich shop downtown,” you suggested, standing up and patting your skirt to fix the wrinkles in the corduroy fabric. He followed your lead, standing up and throwing his scarf over his neck. He had told you earlier about how his scarf was one of his prized possessions. An old friend gave it to him before she broke contact with him. Poor kid never got over her.

“Sure, I am pretty grumbly after all this talk about ghosts,” he replied as you reached in your skirt pocket for your key to the office. Can’t let just anybody in and steal your vacuum.

The walk to the sandwich shop was a route you took daily. You could easily get there backward with your hands tied behind your back and blindfolded. The workers here know you so well and they give you discounts because of your profession. Of course, coming in almost every day for a panini and a good cup of chai must help, too. Taking your trainee here would be a treat for the both of you. Sometimes, especially during training season, it gets hard to slip away and treat yourself to a little coffee shop treat.

As you walk into the shop, the smell of fresh fruits and meat hit you like it always does when you step in. He looked entranced by the aroma, as well. You grinned at him and motioned him to follow behind you. A perky girl, standing five feet two with sandy blonde hair and cherry red lips, notices you and turns around to greet you with a high five and a laugh. Eridan didn’t react. 

“Hey, Aradia! Nice seeing you today! Who's the geek with you today?” she asked, pointing to Eridan with her thumb. He growled and crossed his arms defensively.

“Hey Terezi, this little geek is Eridan. He’s the newbie I’m gonna train this year,” you replied as you motioned for him to say hello. He just waved at her and she chuckled.

“What can I get you, Eridan?” Terezi asked as she pulled out her overstuffed order notebook. A paper slipped out of it and you watched as it floated down onto the floor. You were pretty sure she didn’t notice it or was leaving it for another employee to clean up. 

You ordered the usual as Eridan ordered some complicated order that makes your head nearly hurt. He stayed true to the rich boy stereotype; complicated with their food orders. They always tip very well, twice as much than they normally do when there is a ghost in their house terrorizing their kids. You sighed as you went to sit down at your usual table near the window. The window overlooks the gardens and the beautiful scenery of your small town. The scene was so beautiful, it really calms you down after the stresses of ghost hunting. 

You waited for Eridan to come sit down across from you. The kid was probably still at the counter ordering some complex item that isn’t even on the menu. When you saw him heading towards you, you sat up in your seat and smiled at him. He sat down across from you and sighed happily. 

"So, Eridan, this is where I go to eat every day. I think you’ll like it a lot, I definitely do,” you informed him, putting your ghost pager on the table. At any moment it could go off, but it’s more of a night time occurrence. You peeked at the clock across the shop. The time read 5:11. That’s enough time to really enjoy the wonders of the shop.

“Sounds good to me, Ara,” he said as he saw Terezi carrying out two sandwiches and two drinks. You can see Eridan’s eyes light up with joy as his fresh sandwich is placed in front of him. It looks normal, but you wondered if it tastes normal or what was inside it.

You sipped your chai slowly since it’s fresh and hot; just the way you like it. On the warmer days during the summer, you order it iced so you can cool off in the nice air condition of the coffee shop. It looks like all Eridan ordered was a mochaccino. You smiled at him and took a big bite of your panini. The familiar flavors make you smile, which Eridan laughed at. You laughed back at him once you swallow your first bite.

The two of you finished your meals and you led him on the walk back to the agency. You two talked about work and you tried once again to peer into his social life. You learned he is interested in military history and weaponry, stuff that makes you lose interest. He is beginning to be quite the character. 

Night time was drawing near and you two were killing time in your office chatting about life and about the agency some more. The sun was almost completely hidden from view now. You were really getting to enjoy Eridan’s presence. When he talked and the two of your eyes met for a split second, your heart fluttered a bit and you really felt strange on the inside. You put the feelings to the side since work and your social life are two very separate things that cannot be combined at such a vital time. As he went on about something you couldn’t keep track of, your pager went off. A high beeping noise erupted throughout the room. Eridan squealed like a little girl and covered his ears.

“Get used to it, kid,” you mumbled playfully as you press a button on the pager. He stood up and looked around nervously. You turned to him and patted his shoulder gently. 

“So, what do I do now?” He asked you curiously. You could tell his heart was beating out of his chest.

“Follow my lead,” you said, grabbing your trusty vacuum from where it sat patiently. Eridan stumbled, his nerves getting the better of him again. You laughed as he grabbed onto your shoulder and grunted. His hand was bony as hell and you could tell it was shaking out of a mixture of excitement and fear. That was normal for your trainees; fear and excitement. You grab his other hand, giving him a quick glance to see his face react, and bolt out the door with as much speed as you can muster.

Your car was a beaten up old Toyota that your dad gave you when you learned to drive. It had various bumper stickers and of course, your agency’s logo spray painted on the back window. It had ectoplasm stains on the back seats and some food stains all over the front ones. When Eridan saw this, he stepped back almost like you personally insulted his ancestors. You sighed and muttered something he couldn't hear under your breath. He finally sat down after staring at the taco stains on the front seat. 

“Calm down, you baby,” you joked while you poked him teasingly, “it’s just food. You’ll live.” He grunted and shifted around the seat to avoid coming in contact with the stain. The car started as you jiggled the keys in the ignition for a second. Eridan stared out the window as you pulled strategically out of the parking lot and you drive to your location.

The house was old and rickety, like a stereotypical haunted house. The trees outside were dead, almost like the grass leading up to the old staircase. The paint was chipping and you could see that it used to be a bright pink. You parked the car down the street; can’t have it getting ruined by any ghosts. Eridan would be walking back to the agency if there were any more stains anywhere. The two of you got out and you hitched the vacuum on your back.

“Ready?” you asked Eridan as he shuts his door and cringes for the last time at the stain. You growl, but then you sigh knowing there’s no changing his mind. He nodded as he squinted at the house. His vision was very poor, he told you; he had to wear glasses for the majority of his life. 

You lead him up, kicking the door open with your boot. So far, you spot no activity in the main lobby. Eridan peered around the house and then up at the hanging chandelier.

“Hope that chandelier doesn’t fall on us,” he whispered as he grabbed your shoulder again. You get startled and squeak like a kitten. You found yourself pointing your vacuum at Eridan, who screamed in terror. 

The two of you get your bearings and laugh loudly. You lowered your vacuum from his face but keep it in your hand. Through your laughter, you heard some rustling upstairs and your heart jumped a beat. Here was the moment you two had to get serious; one of you could die. 

Eridan tiptoed behind you as you crept up the stairs. You were pretty sure Eridan could hear your heartbeat, as it was loud enough to wake the spirits up. The second floor was vast and dark except for the faded moonlight shining in from the cracked windows. You felt the cold air hitting your shoulders, brushing up against you from every angle. You continued stepping gently up the creaky old stairs until you stepped on a soft, stained rug. For a moment, you wondered what the stains were from. Eridan was probably wondering too, just like he did back in the car. The rattling got louder and you can tell it was a clanking and shattering of glass. It sounded like it was coming from down the hall, so you motioned Eridan to keep a close ear on the sounds to see if you were wrong. He nodded and put on a serious face. You smiled at his face, thinking about how cute it was. God, you were disgusting yourself.

You opened the door slowly and the shattering of glass became echoed throughout the room. A wailing noise emerged from the clanking and you automatically knew there was a ghost in here. This was it. The moment where Eridan would know if he was meant for this job. 

A figure appeared, mist filling up the room and a violet light glowing from the figure. It looked like a little girl in an old night gown, holding a torn apart teddy bear close to where her heart would be if she was alive. Her hair was stringy and revealed bald patches like they were ripped out from horseplay or abuse. You got closer to the little girl, reaching your hand out to touch her in a comforting manner. She floated towards you, almost like she was accepting the help you were offering, and before you could think about it, the girl lunged at you with a roar. Your heart stopped completely as you slammed against the floor and screamed at the top of your lungs. Your body felt like it was crushing under the weight of the gravity she was forcing down upon you. This was the end, you thought.

You were preparing yourself for your body to be taken over. Out of curiosity, you opened your eye and saw Eridan holding your beloved vacuum and sucking in the little girl. You could hear her wailing and then a chorus of more echoing moans join in. Eridan gasped as the little girl finally succumbed to her fate and was sucked tightly into the vacuum. You stood up and hugged Eridan tightly, silently thanking him for saving you. He laughed and hugged you tightly back. Before you could thank him with words, more wailing and crying erupted from the silence. You grabbed the handle of your vacuum and prepared yourself for the onslaught. Three more figures appeared in front of you: a young lady with a tattered dress and a bow in her stringy hair, an older gentleman with a pompadour and a business suit, and a small young boy with a burnt baseball cap on his head. The family of the little girl came to avenge her, and they were looking for your blood.

You readied your vacuum and Eridan stood behind you with the switch at ready. The mother was the first to react, circling your heads ominously. You followed her orbit’s trail as Eridan aimed the vacuum straight for the woman. Her eyes looked bloody and empty. She stopped for a minute and she hovered there. 

“Now,” you screamed. Eridan flicked the switch and the room is filled with more screams and a vacuum sucking in the mother. The angered father lunged at you, but you managed to duck in time and shield your head in case anything comes flying at your head. The mother is successfully sucked in the vacuum and you sighed. Just another night at the agency, you thought to yourself.

A heavy force pushed you over and you felt yourself being pinned down and scratched by malicious claws. You screamed for Eridan and you felt the weight being lifted. You stand up promptly to see Eridan sucking in the father now as well. He let out curses and brutal screeches for help, but he was silenced again by the vacuum sucking him in

One last kid to go, you thought with optimism. You turned to the little boy, who was sobbing uncontrollably at this point. Eridan turned to you and shrugged. You nodded and mouthed to him to let you take care of it. You kneeled down to eye level to the young ghost boy.

“Hey, sweetie, I know you’re upset, but would you listen to me, hon?” you cooed to the small child. He turns to you with teary eyes that were just as empty as his mother’s. You felt a pang of sadness for the poor kid. It was common for emotions to get in the way of business, especially dealing with situations with ghost children. But if they were left to thrive here, nothing good would come of it and your job wouldn’t be completed.

“Ara-” Eridan interrupted, but then stops. He kept the vacuum at ready, just in case.

“Sweetie, it’s time to move on. Go up to heaven, you’ll be with your family there. I promise,” you continued, smiling at the young boy. His icy tears turned to anger and before you knew it, you were cold and out light a light on the floor. 

You woke up to your body, cold and stiff, lying against the wall. Eridan was standing in front of a large ghostly beast, it’s fangs out and ready to tear him apart. Eridan was sucking him into the vacuum and you wondered if it would even fit. Your heart was racing and you were coated with cold sweat. 

This is the first time you were going to kill a trainee, you thought before your thoughts clouded again. You snapped back to reality 

Eridan was sweating profusely as the beast fought the suction of the vacuum. He had blood dripping down his arms and legs and a huge slash on his cheek. His chest rose and fell as fast as yours did. 

“Eridan, careful,” you called, “I can’t lose you!” 

“Ara, I got you,” he called back as you saw a fierce fire in his eyes you never saw before. He got closer to the glowing beast, howling back at it as it growled. After a full minute of pushing and screaming, the beast finally gave in and with a pop, it was gone. You tried to stand up but you were weak and your legs gave out below you. Everything was still hurting. Eridan shambled over to you and hugged you tightly, arms protecting you from the unwelcoming air of the house. His touch never felt so great, especially because he was warm and your skin was icy cold. 

“Oh God, Ara, I did it. I can’t believe I actually did it,” he sobbed, blood dripping from his cheek. You wiped it with your thumb gently as he grimaces in pain. You smiled up at him, catching his gaze.

“You did,” you muttered as you leaned in to kiss his lips softly. He didn’t kiss back at first, but then he kissed you and your cold mixed with his warm. When you broke the kiss, he grinned softly at you and helped you up.

“Let’s get outta here, Ara,” he said as he grabbed your vacuum for you and escorted you out. The two of you drove away, never to return, and you knew exactly what would happen after this.

You stood proudly in front of a crowd of bystanders of all walks of life all there for one reason: the official initiation. You held a badge with a special name on it and you were honored to hand it to the one you call yours. It’s been a month since you trained him yourself. Tavros stood beside you, holding a badge for his trainee proudly. As the ceremony began, bells and music blasted before a speech from a few of your coworkers, including Tav himself. His words were short and sweet; he was just as excited to hand out the badges as the rest of your team. When it came to your turn, you handed Eridan his glistening badge and wrapped the medal around his head. He smiled at you softly and you smiled back, fighting the urge to kiss him. Once the ceremony ended, you bowed along with your new and old coworkers, then went to celebrate with some food, provided by the cafe. Not only did you initiate someone new into your team, but you found a little love on the side. You couldn't be happier to finally have an ass-kicking partner that can join you and your team on missions. For once in your life, you were even more excited to include a fresh new face to your team and watch him become as much as a seasoned ghost hunter as you have grown to be.

Your name was Aradia Megido and you are a proud ghost hunter.


End file.
